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Originally Posted by tennmb  This was supposed to be how SMART made it's way to the US. We are a Smart dealer. I don't get it. The car has some need things, but it drives like crap comared to some of the other small cars out there. The shifting is annoying. The Yaris, the Scion xA, are better cars with more room.
They only built 30k cars for the first year of US production. That will not sustain a brand with that little profit margin. They will need new products. The forfour was a good lookin car. Bring it back. |
You're right on a few things here. The more I look at this car it shouldnt' be the hit that it is....at least on paper. Lets see:
Its RWD which means it will be a mess in anything more than dusting of snow becuase of its light weight and itty bitty tires.
It uses premium fuel! What is the point of buying it if you have to use the same fuel that Benzes use?
It at least
looks like it should get 50-60 MPG and it doesn't come close. Other cheaper, bigger cars get better gas mileage! Youch.
Its just too small for me, I'd be scared to take it onto most main streets much less an Chicago area expressway.
The transmission is a mess as you say. I guess the cheapest version of the old Benz 5-speed automatic won't fit or is too expensive, but they've got to do better then the current trans. Hello....buy a cheap version of the VW DSG gearbox.
Smart most definitely needs at least 2 more cars to flush out the lineup because the fortwo's sales are going to sink like a rock when the novelty wears and/or if gas prices go back down. The little SUV should have been the 2nd model and than a sporty FWD roadster.
M